Watch Aficionados Will be Jumping For JoyWhen They See This New Fortis Complication

Fortis has a long-standing tradition of creating unique and original timepieces. The company has collaborated with leading artists and architects to create limited edition “art watches,” as well as developing its own imaginative ways to indicate the time. This year, a brand new innovation will join a growing list of unique Fortis complications when the company introduces the new F-43 Jumping Hours watch at the Fortis Dorint Hotel Basel exhibit, around the corner from Baselworld 2013*.

The Fortis F-43 Jumping Hours watch is based on the proven Fortis F2024 automatic movement that powers several other illustrious Fortis watches. This precision mechanical movement also powers another Fortis watch with a jumping hour complication: the popular B-47 Mysterious Planets Timekeeper.

Fortis F-43 Jumping Hours Watch

The F-43 Jumping Hours watch comes in two versions: one with a black dial inscribed with hypnotic concentric white circles, and a skeletonized dial that reveals the jumping hour wheel and mechanism. Both versions of the Jumping Hours watch use the same movement and feature a jumping circular disc at 12 o’clock to indicate the hour. Minutes are indicated more traditionally, using a central minute hand. The beautiful minimal design is both innovative and easy to read.

The 43 mm stainless steel timepiece features a fluted screw-in crown, a scratch resistant sapphire crystal and an impressive water resistance of 656 feet. The black dial version is equipped with an integrated solid stainless steel bracelet, while the skeletonized version has been equipped with a beautiful black leather strap that has been specially fitted to the case.

Other Fortis Art Watches

Like most Fortis “art watches,” this unique Jumping Hours watch is expected to be produced in very limited numbers. If you are a fan of Fortis quality and craftsmanship and would like something truly unique on your wrist, this is the watch for you. Since Fortis is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, Fortis watches are already in the spotlight. If you would like to secure a Fortis F-43 Jumping Hours watch for yourself or a friend, we encourage you to contact an authorized Fortis dealer immediately. As soon as the Baselworld Fair concludes, these spectacular timepieces will literally be jumping off the shelves.

When One of Europe’s Leading BallerinasTalks About the Opéra, People Listen

Thousands of people all over the world have fallen under the spell of famous Ukrainian ballet dancer Kateryna Shalkina. Parisian watchmaker saint Honoré could not have wished for a better ambassador than this internationally acclaimed dancer.

As the new ambassador for saint Honoré timepieces, Kateryna helped introduce many new saint Honoré Collections at Baselworld 2012. The young dancer sees many parallels between her career as a principal dancer and the Swiss made watch manufacturer she now represents. “Becoming a principal dancer is the summit of a long and difficult journey, just like the creation of a fine timepiece,” says Kateryna.

She was particularly impressed with the new saint Honoré Opéra Collection and wears the watch proudly on her many trips abroad. Kateryna says that she loves the new Eclair finish on her Opéra watch. The detail and superb craftsmanship involved in creating this luxurious diamond-like effect reminds her of the perfection she must strive for every day in her dancing.

In 2012, Kateryna Shalkina will be electrifying her audiences in Spain, Russia, Germany, Switzerland and France. This elegant and extremely talented ballerina lives by a code of ethics that she shares with the brand she represents. Excellence, performance and elegance are what make an exceptional dancer and an exceptional watch.

Kateryna’s Saint Honoré Opéra Eclair Finish

In a world hungry for style and glamor, saint Honoré and Kateryna Shalkina are uniquely suited to adding a bit of elegance everywhere they go. If you would like to see what these fashion forward trendsetters can do for you, contact your authorized saint Honore dealer immediately and ask to see the watch that Kateryna Shalkina wears.

About Gevril Group

Gevril Group, directed by company founder and long-time creative force in the watch business Samuel Friedmann, is the exclusive US representative for 30+ select European watch brands, distributing and servicing luxury, fashion and sporty timepieces at a wide range of price points. Additionally, Group Gevril operates a full-service watch repair department staffed by master Swiss watchmakers. Contact Gevril Group by email or by calling 845-425-9882.

Please subscribe to the Gevril Group newsletter and blog updates. Like us on Facebook. Reader comments are welcome.

One of the world’s most important helicopters continues to live at the heart of one of the world’s most exclusive timepieces.

Meccaniche Veloci’s exclusive Only One Collection made its official debut at Baselworld 2012. Each watch in this amazing “one of a kind” collection is constructed using actual components from the world of speed, like the fiberglass fairing from a racing motorcycle, or the magnesium flap from a supersonic fighter jet.

Now, Meccaniche Veloci is honoring one of the world’s most significant helicopters with the exclusive Swiss-made Only One Air Huey. The dial of this exotic creation has been fabricated from the airframe of an actual Huey helicopter. These extraordinary helicopters were used extensively during the Vietnam War for medical evacuation and were responsible for saving 1000’s of lives.

Only a single example of the Only One Air Huey will be produced for each watch in the Quattro Valvole Collection. Each watch is totally unique, so the Quattro Valvole 48 Four Strokes Only One, Quattro Valvole 44 Chronograph, and the Quattro Valvole 42 Power Reserve each have their own one-of-a kind dial.

The construction of these unique timepieces has been rigorously documented and certified by Meccaniche Veloci. One lucky person will not only get an engineering masterpiece, they will also get a priceless treasure that is a genuine piece of history. For the serious collector, the Meccaniche Veloci “Only One” Air – Helicopter represents the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Huey made its first flight on October 20, 1956. Now, almost 56 years later, this celebrated workhorse will make its final flight to land on some lucky watch aficionado’s wrist. If you would like to become the owner of this extraordinary timepiece, contact your authorized Meccaniche Veloci dealer immediately.

The Huey became famous for the role it played in rescuing 100 U.S. soldiers stranded in the Vietnam jungle in 1967. With this amazing watch on your wrist, you could be the famous one this time.

Modern versions of vintage watches were popular at Baselworld 2012, with updated designs, movements and features that put new spins on old favorites. RSW also delivered a vintage model – La Neuveville (pronounced in three syllables: neu-ve-ville) – but unlike others, the RSW watch was not a revised version of a previous release but a new watch to commemorate a significant time and place in history.

La Neuveville is the name of the medieval city on the shore of Lake Biel in the Bernese Jura of Switzerland. It has been home to RSW since 2002. This year La Neuveville is celebrating its 700th birthday. To honor this auspicious anniversary and to pay tribute to its current home, RSW crafted a watch with a vintage feel that also includes elements of the brand’s contemporary makeup.

The design hearkens back to mid-20th century simplicity and elegance. The case is round and polished, as is the bezel, and the dressy lugs are curved with beveled edges. The watch is three-handed with a date function at 3 o’clock. The only numeral on the dial is a raised 12 marker. Other hours are indicated by geometric tetrahedrons or “triangular pyramids,” while an understated seconds track of black indexes appears along the outside. All three hands are polished and pointed, mirroring the inward pointed tips of the hour markers. The surface of the dial is decorated with a sunray pattern, adding texture and depth without compromising the vintage minimalism. Appearance of text on the dial is also intentionally sparse, limited to the brand name, the model and the word “automatic,” referring to the watch’s inner components.

Other than the 42 mm case size, one visible characteristic reveals that this watch is not of a bygone era: RSW’s patented crank crown. This recognizable and functional feature is not only original, it appeals to anyone with a fascination for mechanical watches. To operate the crank, first unscrew the traditional crown. Once unlocked from the case, the crown and handle fold up and function as a crank by which to wind the ETA 2824-2 movement inside. The experience of winding in this manner is both visual and tactile, connecting the wearer to the all-important aspect of owning a mechanical timepiece.

The automatic version shown here has a sapphire caseback. La Neuveville is also available with an ETA 955.112 quartz movement, solid caseback and standard winding crown. Both versions can be had in stainless steel or in yellow PVD-coated stainless steel, and both are available with or without diamonds. Every La Neuveville is fitted with a smart-looking leather strap and folding buckle that is as handsome as it is debonair.

Here’s to another 700 years of La Neuveville and RSW!

About Gevril Group

Gevril Group, directed by company founder and long-time creative force in the watch business Samuel Friedmann, is the exclusive US representative for 30+ select European watch brands, distributing and servicing luxury, fashion and sporty timepieces at a wide range of price points. Additionally, Group Gevril operates a full-service watch repair department staffed by master Swiss watchmakers. Contact Gevril Group by email or by calling 845-425-9882.

Please subscribe to the Gevril Group newsletter and blog updates. Like us on Facebook. Reader comments are welcome.